School Choice

This week is National School Choice Week. I am very much in favor of school choice. Not just being able to pick which public school your child attends, but being able to choose the method of education you think is the best fit for your child and your family, whether that be public school, charter school, private school, or home school. My own children have already had diverse experiences with this; the oldest is only seven. Currently, my oldest is enrolled at the local public elementary school because that is where she is able to get the services she needs right now. My second is enrolled at a local charter school; mostly because he wanted to give it a try and because it seemed like it might be a good learning environment for him at this point. Both were home schooled last year. My youngest is being home preschooled.

I've always believed in taking advantage of as many naturally occurring learning opportunities as I can. All of my children knew and were able to read all letters of the alphabet and numbers one through ten by the time they were two years old. They loved watching the LeapFrog videos, and we took advantage of that by giving them their own letters and numbers to play with (blocks, magnets, foam, etc.). Recently, the kids have been learning kitchen math. They are getting familiar with fractions as well as practicing addition, subtraction, and a bit of multiplication and division. They learn about plants and bugs playing out in the yard. My oldest has a strong interest in bugs especially. My three-year old loves to watch Dora and Diego and has become quite familiar with a number of different animal species. Granted, they don't cover all subject areas, but at this age, I like to let their interests direct them so that they continue to enjoy learning.

I have been very fortunate that my children all seem to have an aptitude for academics and an interest in them. As they've grown from toddlers to school-age children, their unique learning challenges have begun to surface. My oldest was a preemie and, as a result, has some significant motor skills delays. Writing is terribly difficult and tiring for her. She has sensory integration and processing difficulties which cause her to become easily distracted and bothered by the sights and sounds around her. I was very concerned about her ability to function in a normal classroom when she expressed a desire to attend school instead of continuing to home school this year. However, she has a kind and understanding teacher who has helped her learn to function in the classroom, and she is doing surprisingly well. In addition, she also receives various therapy services through the school that we were unable to afford privately. I was also concerned about her brother's ability and willingness to conform to classroom behavior when he decided he wanted to attend the charter school. He is very active, has difficulty not talking constantly, and is also easily distracted. His teacher has also been very successful at getting him to function in the classroom. Both kids are quite a bit ahead of their classmates academically, so their teachers are able to focus more on their behaviors knowing they can easily do their classwork.

I do still worry that if my children continue to attend school, they will become bored with the course work. I already see a little of that in my son, and he's only in kindergarten. I take comfort in knowing that when the time is right, we can begin to do full-time home school again. We have that choice. We are lucky to live in a place where we can home school without any interference from the government. However, there are dangers lurking on the horizon that threaten that freedom. Be ready and willing to fight for the right to choose how and where your children are educated. You are your child's best teacher and advocate. Know your options. Know your rights. Knowledge is power, and it is the best way to arm yourself against those who would take your rights away from you.